Charity Gala Saturday, Aug. 19

UNION COUNTY — Dinner, a silent auction of items including Carolina Panthers tickets, and live music performed by some “Docs That Rock” will be part of Union County Meals on Wheels 2017 Charity Gala.

Meals on Wheels is an all-volunteer group that relies on private donations and fundraising events to enable it to achieve its goal of serving one hot meal a day five days a week to needy persons who have applied and met the group’s need criteria. During 2015, the all-volunteer group served 17,859 meals at a cost of $6,200 per month. The volunteers deliver meals along 10 routes in the Union and Buffalo communities serving approximately 75 people a day.

The group uses 99 percent of its budget to pay for the meals they deliver which are prepared by Midway BBQ.

Even though it has little cost beyond the price of the food it delivers to the needy, Meals on Wheels has had to struggle to raise the funds needed to meet its costs. In April 2016, Meals on Wheels Vice Chair Kathy Stepp reported that the group’s yearly costs were $74,000 or $11,000 more than the $63,000 in donations it had received and other funds raised.

To help raise the funds it needs to continue serving the needy of Union and Buffalo, Meals on Wheels undertakes a number of fundraising efforts each year including its Charity Gala, the first of which was held in 2016.

This year’s Charity Gala will be held Saturday, Aug. 19 from 7 p.m.-until at Main Street Junction, 107 East Main Street, Union.

Meals on Wheels Secretary Jami Trammell said Thursday that this year’s Gala will feature a sit down dinner with diners required to wear cocktail attire.

The evening will also feature live music performed by “Missing Monday.” Trammell said describe the group describes themselves as “The Docs That Rock.”

A silent auction will also be held at the gala. Trammell said that a wide variety of items will auctioned. She said among the items to be auctioned will be: